Sleeping bags

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a sleeping bag which is formed of a double length insulated structure folded upon itself. Slide fastener means joining the side edges are separable adjacent the fold, the separable elements being reversely arranged at the sides of the folded structure whereby two or several such sleeping bags may be joined together side by side.

United States Patent McGuire [54] SLEEPING BAGS [72] Inventor: William L. McGuire, Seattle, Wash.

[73] Assignee: Eddie Bauer, 1nc., Seattle, Wash.

[22] Filed: Feb. 2, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 887,033

{52] US. Cl ..5/343, 2169.5 (51 1 Int. Cl ..A47g 9/00 [58] Field of Search ..5/343, 344; 2/695 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,757,390 8/1956 Miller ..5/343 Feb. 8, 1972 Ozier ..5/343 Peterson ..5/343 Primary ExaminerBobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Andrew M. Calvert Attorney-Ford E. Smith [57] ABSTRACT This invention provides a sleeping bag which is formed of a double length insulated structure folded upon itself. Slide fastener means joining the side edges are separable adjacent the fold, the separable elements being reversely arranged at the sides of the folded structure whereby two or several such sleeping bags may be joined together side by side.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU FEB 8197? 3,633,931

sum 1 or 2 ArraF/VQ PATENTED FEB 8W 3,639,931

sum 2 or 2 Evie/5y SLEEPING BAGS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

A double-length insulated structure is folded medially of its length to form a sleeping bag envelope having a closed foot end. The over and underlying side edges of the folded structure are closed by slide fastener means extending upward from the foot end toward the head end. The slide fastener means include interfitted box and pin elements at their foot ends which are separable. The slide fastener separable elements are attached to the side edges of the over and underlying portions of the folded structure so that the pin of a slide fastener at one side is on the edge of the top portion and the pin of the slide fastener at the other side is on edge of the bottom portion of said structure. The principal object of the invention is to provide sleeping bag structure which may not only be used by one person but which may be twinned, whereby two or several such structures may be secured together in side-by-side arrangement. Another object of the invention is to provide in such a sleeping bag, an arrangement whereby the head end may be shaped into a head-enclosing hood for the user.

These and other objects will become apparent during the course of the following specification, having in view the drawings in which is shown a preferred form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medially foldable double length insulated structure with enlarged insets of slide fastener details;

FIG. 2 shows the insulated structure folded and partially closed to form an envelope;

FIG. 3 shows the structure fully closed for a single persons use as a sleeping bag;

FIG. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the upper portion of the bag illustrating hood formation;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of twinned sleeping bagsjand FIG. 7 diagrams the complementary and reverse arrangement of the separable box and pin elements of the slide fasteners at opposite sides of laterally disposed sleeping bags.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

An elongated double-length insulated panel structure 10 comprises a lower panel 12 and an upper panel 14 joined end to end at 16 as shown in FIG. 1. To form a sleeping bag envelope panel 10 is folded at 16 to cause upper panel 14 to overlie in superposed fashion lower panel 12. As shown in FIG. 4, insulated panels 12 and 14 are quilted to provide a plurality of long tubes 18 filled with down. feathers, wool or other fibers, natural or synthetic fibers or filaments. Preferably the length of panel I4 from the approximately medially located fold line 16 to its head end 40 is greater then the length of upper panel 14 by about one half the width of said panel 14. The free edge 13 of panel 14 is provided with drawstrings 15 whereby the panel edge may be laterally gathered.

Slide fasteners structure 18 and 22 provided at the side edges of the envelope as shown in FIG. 2. The slide fastener structures respectively comprises two rows 19, and 23, 24 of interengageable strings of fastener elements each secured to a tape 26 in the usual fashion. Tapes 26 are likewise stitched or otherwise secured in conventional manner to the respective edges of panels 12 and 14.

Slide fasteners 18 and 22 are separable being joined by interfitting box elements 28, 29 and pin elements 30, 31 at their lower extremities adjacent the fold 16. Each slide fastener 18 and 22 also includes a slider 32 moved manually by a tab 34 for opening and closing the slide fasteners.

When a double length panel 10 is folded as in FIG. 2 to form an envelope, the two strings of interengageable fastener elements or teeth are brought into juxtaposition relative each other. Their respective box and pin elements 28, 30 are interfitted, i.e., the pins 30 are inserted into the boxes 28, whereupon movement of the sliders 32 close the side edges of the envelope.

The strings of fastener elements 19 and 23 on upper panel 14 extend up the sides and approximately to the middle of the free end of the panel, as may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The strings of fastener elements 20 and 24 on lower panel 12 extend up the sides thereof, terminating at about the corners of the free end of said lower panel 12.

By reference to FIG. 1, the inset detail sketches, it will be seen that the pin 30 of slide fastener means 18 is at the lower end of fastener element string 19 on upper panel 14. The box 28 is at the lower end of panel 14. It will be observed that the box-pin assembly to one side of the envelope is reversely arranged with respect to the box-pin assembly at the other side of the envelope. Diagramed, with respect to plural sleeping bags, the arrangementis shown in FIG. 7 wherein it will be seen that a box-pin assembly at the right edge of one envelope is compatible with and complementary to the box-pin assembly of another sleeping alongside. Thus, to twin two bags, the pin 31 of a first bag is engaged in box 28 of the adjacent second bag, and the box 29 of the first bag receives pin 30 of the second bag. The outer edges of the two bags would then be closed in the regular manner and the. result is a double width sleeping bag as shown in FIG. 6. Obviously a third or more bags may be added as desired, this being suggested by the view in FIG. 6.

For convenience of understanding, it may be stated alternately that in each envelope the pin element 31 of the slide fastener means at one side of the folded structure is associated with one edge of the overlying panel portion of the envelope and pin 30 at the opposite edge of the envelope is associated with the underlying panel portion of the envelope.

When two envelopes are twinned as in FIG. 6, the full length juxtaposed strings of slide elements 22 and 18 of the bottom panels 12 permit the slider to be moved to terminal edges of the head extensions 40 in the middle, thus unifying them.

By arranging that the upper panel strings of fastener elements turn the corners and approach each other centrally, it will be seen that the corners of the head-end panels 40 may be folded triangularly to assist in producing a head-enclosing hood for the user. It is desireable to first gather the edge of portion 40 somewhat as suggested in FIG. 5, then to pull up the sliders at the sides, then inward as the slider turns the upper comer of upper panel 14. This produces the infolding of the corners and draws insulated material about the users shoulders. It also snugs the gathered panel 40 portion about his head.

Somewhat the same arrangement prevails when envelopes are twinned. The outer corners turn in as described. The gathered margins, medially joined, also cup in, and in effect, a double or two person hood is formed.

In the case of the twinned bags as in FIG. 5, the slide fastener strings 20 and 24 need not be joined between the extension panel portions 40, 40 when it is desired to form individual hoods for each occupant. However, the juxtaposed portions of panels 40 may not then be infolded and joined by the slide fastener means. In such case, matching elements 60, 62 of Velero or other fastener means may be provided to secure the infolded corners of panels 40 under such circumstances.

Important advantages are derived by this disclosed double length or end-to-end mode of constructing the elongated tube insulated structure. One that may not be readily apparent occurs during the manufacturing stage. In this system, the fabric elements may be cut and stitched to form the long tubes 17 and 15 to substantial completeness, short of placing the filling in the tubes. Manufacture is stopped short of stitching the two panels together at seal 18. Everything else is finished except the shells are unfilled. The manufacturer may then shelve numerous such fabric shells, folded in compact manner, in a very much smaller space than if the shells were blown (i.e., insulated) in which stage they are bulky and require much space. An inventory problem is solved by this system. Thus, accommodation of the wide range of insulative characteristics the buyers demand is quite simple. Some buyers wish a 2- or a 2%- pound bag. Others, a 3- or even a 4- pound bag. The weights mentioned indicate the amount of down or other blowable filler that may be used in tubes 17 and 15. The blowing and final stitching operation may be quickly performed upon receipt of an order. Thus when the manufacturer receives an order specifying a sleeping bag of a certain weight of filler, all he need do is select a shell from inventory, blow the filler into the long tubes 17 and 15, finish stitching the seam l6, and the order is completed. He has eliminated the need for a bulky, expensive inventory of sleeping bags in numerous weights and yet he can easily and quickly supply the custom market by having a compacted selection of unblown shells and his filler stored in compacted bulk form.

In the foregoing description has been disclosed a preferred form of the invention. To those skilled in the art, alterations and variations will naturally occur. All such as fall within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims is intended to be covered by this patent which is to be construed in accordance with an appropriate application of the doctrine of equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. A sleeping bag comprising:

a double length insulated structure medially folded upon itself to form a sleeping bag envelope having a closed foot end, and the upper end of the underlying portion of said envelope terminating beyond the overlying portion and means is included to form the terminal end of the underlying portion into a mummy hood;

a slide fastener means operable to join each side edge of said envelope upward from the fold at the foot end to the head end of said envelope;

each said slide fastener means including separably interfitted box-pin elements adjacent the fold of said structure;

the pin element of the slide fastener means at one side of said folded structure being associated with the edge ofthe overlying portion of said insulated structure and the pin element of the slide fastener means at the other side of said folded structure being associated with the edge of the underlying portion of said insulated structure;

said mummy hood forming means comprising continuations of slide fastener means closing the side edges of the envelope.

2. A sleeping bag, comprising:

a double length insulated structure medially folded upon itself to form a sleeping bag envelope having a closed foot end;

a slide fastener means operable to join each side edge of said envelope upward from the fold at the foot end to the head end of said envelope;

each said slide fastener means including separably interfitted box-pin elements adjacent the fold of said structure;

the pin element of the slide fastener means at one side of said folded structure being associated with the edge of the overlying portion of said insulated structure and the pin element of the slide fastener means at the other side of said folded structure being associated with the edge of the underlying portion of said insulated structure;

said insulated panel comprising a plurality of laterally adjacent tubes filled with insulation material, and there is a closingjoinder defining the folding line ofsaid structure. 

1. A sleeping bag comprising: a double length insulated structure medially folded upon itself to form a sleeping bag envelope having a closed foot end, and the upper end of the underlying portion of said envelope terminating beyond the overlying portion and means is included to form the terminal end of the underlying portion into a mummy hood; a slide fastener means operable to join each side edge of said envelope upward from the fold at the foot end to the head end of said envelope; each said slide fastener means including separably interfitted box-pin elements adjacent the fold of said structure; the pin element of the slide fastener means at one side of said folded structure being associated with the edge of the overlying portion of said insulated structure and the pin element of the slide fastener means at the other side of said folded structure being associated with the edge of the underlying portion of said insulated structure; said mummy hood forming means comprising continuations of slide fastener means closing the side edges of the envelope.
 2. A sleeping bag, comprising: a double length insulated structure medially folded upon itself to form a sleeping bag envelope having a closed foot end; a slide fastener means operable to join each side edge of said envelope upward from the fold at the foot end to the head end of said envelope; each said slide fastener means including separably interfitted box-pin elements adjacent the fold of said structure; the pin element of the slide fastener means at one side of said folded structure being associated with the edge of the overlying portion of said insulated structure and the pin element of the slide fastener means at the other side of said folded structure being associated with the eDge of the underlying portion of said insulated structure; said insulated panel comprising a plurality of laterally adjacent tubes filled with insulation material, and there is a closing joinder defining the folding line of said structure. 